REASONS FOR CURRENT STATUS 



This highly specialized goose is adapted to life 

 in an environment that was originally predator- 

 free and waterless in the Hawaiian lava flows. 

 Their weak wings, exceptionally long flightless 

 period during molt, and young that are unable to 

 fly because of their exceptionally long develop- 

 ment period made them vulnerabfe to introduced 

 predators (Elder 1958;Elder and Woodside 1958). 



There is evidence that overgrazing by sheep 

 and goats may have adverse effects on the nene 

 range, and the introduced mongoose is definitely 

 a predator on the young. The spread of the mon- 

 goose corresponded to the period of nene decline. 

 Mongooses and dogs are probably the most sig- 

 nificant predators, and the tameness and 

 curiosity of the nene makes them extremely vul- 

 nerable to predation as well as to poaching (Elder 

 1958; Elder and Woodside 1958). Zimmerman 

 (1974) believes that the information necessary 

 to identify and correct lethal dangers is still lack- 

 ing. 



Hunting is believed to have contributed heavily 

 to their original decline, especially since ignorance 

 of the winter breeding season permitted hunting 

 at the time when geese were either incubating, 

 followed by broods, or molting and flightless 

 (Henshaw 1902 in Elder and Woodside 1958). 

 Hunting of this species was made illegal in 1911 

 (Ripley 1965). 



A gradual increase in the nene population in 

 recent years has resulted from introduction of 

 artificaUy propagated stock on Hawaii and Maui, 

 the creation of sanctuaries in cooperation with 

 land owners, and control of predators at release 

 and breeding sites (Hawaii Div. Fish and Game 

 1972). However, it is not known if the present 

 population can maintain itself or increase in the 

 wild without additional introductions. The intro- 

 duced population on Maui is clearly not main- 

 taining itself. The future of the species in the wild 

 will remain in doubt until it can be shown that re- 

 production is high enough to offset losses from 

 all sources (King in press). 



PRIORITY INDEX 



39 



DESCRIPTION 



The nene is a medium-sized goose, with a bill 

 comparatively long, broad, and high near its base 

 and depressed at the tip. The crown, face, area 

 around eyes, throat, and a wide band on hind 

 neck are deep black; sides of head and sides and 

 front of neck are tawny buff; the feathers of the 

 neck have dark bases forming deep furrows and 

 producing a striped appearance; there is a blackish 

 ring around the base of the neck, broadening on 

 the back; the breast is pale brown; and the rest of 

 the body plumage is grayish brown barred with 

 whitish buff, the feathers having pale borders; 

 the rump is black; coverts are white with gray 

 bases; rectrices and primaries are black. The iris 

 is brown. Bill and legs are black. The tarsus and 

 toes are long and strong, with much reduced 

 webbing. The female is smaller than the male, 

 with shorter neck and slightly duller, darker plu- 

 mage (Delacour 1954). 



Measurements. - male: wing 372 to 378 mm; 

 the tail is 147 to 158 mm; culmen, 40 to 47 mm; 

 tarsus, 81 to 90 mm. In the female: wing 350 to 

 368 mm; tail 144 to 151 mm; culmen 40 to 42 

 mm; and tarsus 73 to 78 mm (Delacour 1954). 



Reported weights of wild specimens were as 

 follows: Males - summer, 2,074 g; winter (breed- 

 ing season), 2,370 g. Females - summer 1,762 g, 

 winter, 2,095 g (Kier et al. 1962). 



Immatures.- Duller and more mottled. 



Downy Chicks.- Grayish brown; forehead, 

 sides of head, throat and center of underparts 

 whitish buff; a dark spot on ear coverts and 

 whitish spots on base of wing. 



Eggs.- Creamy white; five to eight in clutch; 

 80 X 50 mm (Delacour 1954). The clutch size for 

 captive birds at Pohakuloa and those recorded in 

 the wild on Hawaii is three to five eggs. 



This species has become highly specialized 

 anatomically for its original environment, with 

 legs and feet best adapted to a strictly terrestrial 

 environment and wings poorly developed for 

 flight compared to other related geese. It is so 

 different morphologically from Branta that it 

 should be accorded a separate genus (MiUer 1937). 



RANGE 



The Hawaiian goose or nene is native to and 

 resident on the Island of Hawaii; it has been intro- 

 duced and is still surviving on Maui, Hawaiian Is- 

 lands (Delacour 1954). It occurs at several local- 



